أَيا كَعبَة كانَت مُنى المُتَطَوِّفِ

أَيا كَعبَة كانَت مُنى المُتَطَوِّفِ

تَحَرَّفتُ وَالمُشتاقُ لَم يَتَحَرَّفِ

تَحَرَّفتُ وَالمُشتاقُ لَم يَتَحَرَّفِ

O Kaaba that was the circling pilgrim's desire,

O Kaaba, the deepest wish of the pilgrim circling round,

I have turned aside, though the yearning lover has not turned aside.

I turned away, yet my longing heart would not turn aside.

وَرَوضاً كَأَن لَم تَغن بِالأَمسِ أَرضهُ

وَرَوضاً كَأَن لَم تَغن بِالأَمسِ أَرضهُ

وَلا أَخَذت مِن حُسنِهِ كُلَّ زخرَفِ

وَلا أَخَذت مِن حُسنِهِ كُلَّ زخرَفِ

And O garden, as though its soil had never flourished yesterday,

And a garden—as though its soil had never bloomed but yesterday,

nor drawn from its beauty every ornament.

Nor had it gathered from its beauty every ornate charm.

عَهِدتُكَ تَشفي النَفسَ مِن كُلِّ عِلَّةٍ

عَهِدتُكَ تَشفي النَفسَ مِن كُلِّ عِلَّةٍ

فَما بالها تَعتلّ مِن حَيثُ تَشتَفي

فَما بالها تَعتلّ مِن حَيثُ تَشتَفي

I knew you to heal the soul of every sickness;

I knew you once to heal my soul of every ailment,

why, then, does it sicken where it seeks its cure?

How then does it grow sick from the very source of its cure?

أَفاقَت مِنَ الثكلِ البَواكي وَلَم أفِق

أَفاقَت مِنَ الثكلِ البَواكي وَلَم أفِق

بَل اِزدَدتُ لَيسَ الطَبع مِثلُ التَكَلُّفِ

بَل اِزدَدتُ لَيسَ الطَبع مِثلُ التَكَلُّفِ

The weeping women recovered from bereavement, but I did not;

The weeping women have roused from their mourning, but I wake not,

instead, my grief grew: natural feeling is not like pretense.

Nay, I drown deeper; for true nature is not like feigned pretense.

أَبعدكَ وَالدَمعُ الَّذي عَزّ هيّن

أَبعدكَ وَالدَمعُ الَّذي عَزّ هيّن

دَمُ العَينِ يَرقا أَو لَظى القَلب يَنطَفي

دَمُ العَينِ يَرقا أَو لَظى القَلب يَنطَفي

After you—when once-precious tears are cheap—

After you are gone, the tears that were once held dear flow cheap,

can the eye's blood stop flowing, or the heart's blaze die out?

Will the bleeding of the eye cease, or the heart’s blazing fire be quenched?

عَقَقتُكَ إِن لَم أَبكِ بِالدَمِ كُلّه

عَقَقتُكَ إِن لَم أَبكِ بِالدَمِ كُلّه

وَإِن لَم أَمُت بَينَ البُكا وَالتَأَسُّفِ

وَإِن لَم أَمُت بَينَ البُكا وَالتَأَسُّفِ

I would betray you if I did not weep with all my blood,

I would be faithless to you if I wept not with all my blood,

and if I did not die amid weeping and sorrow.

And if I died not amidst my weeping and deep remorse.

فَرُزؤُكَ قَدَّ اليَومَ كُلَّ مُسَرَّدٍ

فَرُزؤُكَ قَدَّ اليَومَ كُلَّ مُسَرَّدٍ

وَفَلَّ غراري كُلّ أَبيَض مُرهَفِ

وَفَلَّ غراري كُلّ أَبيَض مُرهَفِ

For losing you has today rent every coat of mail,

Your loss has torn through every coat of mail this day,

and blunted the twin edges of every keen, bright sword.

And blunted the edge of every sharp, white blade.

هُوَ الدَهرُ لا يَرعى الكَريمَ فَيَرعَوي

هُوَ الدَهرُ لا يَرعى الكَريمَ فَيَرعَوي

وَلا صَرفُهُ يَكتَفُّ عَنهُ فَيَكتَفي

وَلا صَرفُهُ يَكتَفُّ عَنهُ فَيَكتَفي

Such is Time: it does not spare the noble and relent,

It is Fate: it respects no noble soul to hold back its hand,

nor do its reversals turn away from him and rest content.

Nor do its calamities withdraw from him to grant him peace.

ولكِن أَشَدُّ النائباتِ عَلى الفَتى

ولكِن أَشَدُّ النائباتِ عَلى الفَتى

مُفارقَةُ الأَحبابِ بَعدَ التَأَلُّفِ

مُفارقَةُ الأَحبابِ بَعدَ التَأَلُّفِ

But the hardest calamity for a man

But the harshest of all trials upon a man,

is parting from loved ones after close companionship,

Is the parting of loved ones after their hearts were joined.

وقربُ أَعاديهِ وَشَكواهُ دَهرهُ

وقربُ أَعاديهِ وَشَكواهُ دَهرهُ

إِلى ذي شماتٍ أَو إِلى غَير مُنصفِ

إِلى ذي شماتٍ أَو إِلى غَير مُنصفِ

and the nearness of his enemies, and lamenting his fate

And the closeness of his foes, and his complaint against Time,

to one who gloats, or to one who is unfair.

To one who gloats in malice, or one devoid of justice.

عَفاء عَلى الدُنيا البغيّ فَإِنَّما

عَفاء عَلى الدُنيا البغيّ فَإِنَّما

بشاشَتُها كَالبارِقِ المُتخَطِّفِ

بشاشَتُها كَالبارِقِ المُتخَطِّفِ

Ruin upon this harlot world! For

A curse upon this treacherous world, for truly,

its smile is only like a fleeting flash of lightning.

Its brightness is but a snatching flash of lightning.

زَكا اِبني في تِسعٍ وَأربَعَةٍ لَهُ

زَكا اِبني في تِسعٍ وَأربَعَةٍ لَهُ

وَلَم أَزكُ في خَمسينَ عاماً وَنَيِّفِ

وَلَم أَزكُ في خَمسينَ عاماً وَنَيِّفِ

My son grew pure in his nine years and four,

My son grew pure and righteous in his thirteen years,

while I have not grown pure in fifty years and more.

While I have not cleansed my soul in fifty years and more.

تَشاغَلتُ فيها بِالقَريضِ عَنِ التقى

تَشاغَلتُ فيها بِالقَريضِ عَنِ التقى

وَلَم يَشتَغِل إِلّا بِلَوحٍ وَمُصحَفِ

وَلَم يَشتَغِل إِلّا بِلَوحٍ وَمُصحَفِ

I busied myself through those years with verse instead of piety,

I distracted myself with poetry, neglecting piety,

while he occupied himself only with a tablet and a Quran.

While he busied himself only with the tablet and the Scripture.

تَقَدَّمَ وَاِستَأخَرتُ عَن دَرَجاته

تَقَدَّمَ وَاِستَأخَرتُ عَن دَرَجاته

وَقيلَ اِسعَ في اِدّراكِهِ وَتَلَطَّفِ

وَقيلَ اِسعَ في اِدّراكِهِ وَتَلَطَّفِ

He went ahead, while I lagged behind his ranks,

He advanced, while I lagged far behind his high degree;

and I was told: “Strive to catch up with him, and proceed with care.”

And I was told: "Strive to overtake him, and seek grace."

فَشَتّانَ مَثواهُ وَمَثوايَ آنِفاً

فَشَتّانَ مَثواهُ وَمَثوايَ آنِفاً

وَمَوقِفَهُ يَومَ الحِسابِ وَمَوقِفي

وَمَوقِفَهُ يَومَ الحِسابِ وَمَوقِفي

So far apart are his dwelling and mine now,

How vast the difference between his station and mine before,

and his station on the Day of Reckoning and mine!

And between his standing on the Day of Reckoning and my own.

إِذا وَسَمتني يا بنيّ خَطيئَتي

إِذا وَسَمتني يا بنيّ خَطيئَتي

فَلا تَنكِرَن وَجهي هُنالِكَ وَاِعرِفِ

فَلا تَنكِرَن وَجهي هُنالِكَ وَاِعرِفِ

If my sin brands me, my little son,

If my sins should brand me with shame, O my son,

then do not disown my face there; recognize me.

Do not deny my face in that place, but know me well.

وَخُذ بِيَدي وَاِضرَع لِرَبِّكَ شافِعاً

وَخُذ بِيَدي وَاِضرَع لِرَبِّكَ شافِعاً

لِيَجمَعَنا في رَوضَةٍ فَوقَ رَفرَفِ

لِيَجمَعَنا في رَوضَةٍ فَوقَ رَفرَفِ

Take my hand and implore your Lord as an intercessor,

Take my hand and implore your Lord as an intercessor,

that He may unite us in a garden, upon cushions,

That He may gather us in a Garden upon green cushions,

مَعَ المُجتَبين المُصطَفين وَكَيفَ لي

مَعَ المُجتَبين المُصطَفين وَكَيفَ لي

بِفَوزي مَع مَن يَجتَبيهِ وَيَصطَفي

بِفَوزي مَع مَن يَجتَبيهِ وَيَصطَفي

among the chosen, the elect—yet how could I

With the chosen and the elect—though how can I hope

win salvation with those He chooses and elects?

To triumph alongside those whom He selects and favors?

وَقَد ذُبتُ في حُبِّ الغَواني غِوايَةً

وَقَد ذُبتُ في حُبِّ الغَواني غِوايَةً

وَقَبَّلتُ أَطرافَ البنانِ المُطَرَّفِ

وَقَبَّلتُ أَطرافَ البنانِ المُطَرَّفِ

For I have melted in wayward love of beautiful women,

For I have wasted away in the love of maidens, led astray,

and kissed the tips of fingers stained with dye;

And kissed the tips of fingers dyed with henna.

وَسَمّيت بِاِسمِ الحرّ عَبداً مَدَحتهُ

وَسَمّيت بِاِسمِ الحرّ عَبداً مَدَحتهُ

فَقُلتُ كَريم الجدِّ وَهوَ اِبنُ مقرفِ

فَقُلتُ كَريم الجدِّ وَهوَ اِبنُ مقرفِ

and called a slave I praised a freeborn man,

I called a slave "free" and "noble" when I sang his praise,

saying, “Noble of ancestry,” though he was a baseborn man's son.

Calling him "high-born," though he was the son of a base mongrel.

وَذمتُ أُناساً لَو حَلمتُ لِجَهلِهِم

وَذمتُ أُناساً لَو حَلمتُ لِجَهلِهِم

رَبِحتُ وَنَقَّفتُ الَّذي لَم أنقّفِ

رَبِحتُ وَنَقَّفتُ الَّذي لَم أنقّفِ

And I reviled people; had I borne their ignorance patiently,

And I dispraised men—had I but borne their ignorance,

I would have profited and drawn out what I failed to draw out.

I would have gained, and harvested what I failed to glean.

وَعِشتُ بِمَغصوبِ المُلوكِ كَأَنَّني

وَعِشتُ بِمَغصوبِ المُلوكِ كَأَنَّني

أَموتُ طوىً لَو عفتهُ لِلتَعَفُّفِ

أَموتُ طوىً لَو عفتهُ لِلتَعَفُّفِ

And I lived on what kings had seized, as though I

I lived on the usurped wealth of kings, as though

would die of hunger if I shunned it out of scruple.

I would die of hunger had I abstained for honor's sake.

وَجَرَّرتُ أَذيالَ المفوّفِ أَشيَباً

وَجَرَّرتُ أَذيالَ المفوّفِ أَشيَباً

وَغَيرُ مَليحٍ أَشيَبٌ في مفوّفِ

وَغَيرُ مَليحٍ أَشيَبٌ في مفوّفِ

Gray-haired, I trailed the hems of striped finery,

I trailed the hems of striped robes in my gray old age,

though a gray-haired man in striped finery is no fair sight.

And a gray-haired man in youthful stripes is no comely sight.

وَثَوبُ التُقى في عَينِ كُلِّ حَقيقَةٍ

وَثَوبُ التُقى في عَينِ كُلِّ حَقيقَةٍ

بِهِ الشَيخُ أَبهى مِن فَتىً مُتظَرِّفِ

بِهِ الشَيخُ أَبهى مِن فَتىً مُتظَرِّفِ

And the robe of piety, to every discerning eye,

Yet the garment of piety, in the eye of absolute truth,

makes an old man more splendid than a stylish youth.

Makes the elder more splendid than the elegant youth.

بَكيتُ عَلى اِبني وَالنَذيرُ يَقولُ لي

بَكيتُ عَلى اِبني وَالنَذيرُ يَقولُ لي

عَلى نَفسِكَ اِبكَ الدَهر ثَقّلت خَفّفِ

عَلى نَفسِكَ اِبكَ الدَهر ثَقّلت خَفّفِ

I wept for my son, while the warner said to me:

I wept for my son, while the Warning Voice whispered to me:

“Weep for yourself all your days; you are burdened—lighten your load.

"Weep for yourself forever; you are heavy laden, so lighten your load."

بنيكَ قَد أَوفى وَأَنتَ عَلى السرى

بنيكَ قَد أَوفى وَأَنتَ عَلى السرى

تَغُرُّكَ آمالٌ بِوَعدٍ مسوّفِ

تَغُرُّكَ آمالٌ بِوَعدٍ مسوّفِ

Your little son has arrived, while you journey through the night;

Your little son has paid his debt, while you journey through the night,

hopes deceive you with a promise put off.

Beguiled by hopes and deferred promises.

أَفق أَيُّها المَغرورُ إِنَّكَ مُنتَشٍ

أَفق أَيُّها المَغرورُ إِنَّكَ مُنتَشٍ

كَأَنَّكَ مَصبوحٌ يعلُّ بِقَرقَفِ

كَأَنَّكَ مَصبوحٌ يعلُّ بِقَرقَفِ

Sober up, deluded one! You are intoxicated,

Wake up, O deluded one! For you are intoxicated,

as though given morning wine and plied with it again.”

As if you were drunk on the morning draught of strong wine.

أَيُغني غَداً عَبد الغنيّ بِوَقفَةٍ

أَيُغني غَداً عَبد الغنيّ بِوَقفَةٍ

لِمُلتَفِتٍ يَلقاهُ أَو مُتَشَوِّفُ

لِمُلتَفِتٍ يَلقاهُ أَو مُتَشَوِّفُ

Will Abd al-Ghani tomorrow offer help by pausing

Will "Abdul-Ghani" avail you tomorrow with a single stand,

for one who turns to meet him, or eagerly looks for him?

Before one who turns to meet him, or one who gazes from afar?

أَمِ الحور وَالولدان يَثنينَ طَرفَهُ

أَمِ الحور وَالولدان يَثنينَ طَرفَهُ

عَنِ المُذنِبِ المُستَشفِعِ المُتَلَهِّفِ

عَنِ المُذنِبِ المُستَشفِعِ المُتَلَهِّفِ

Or will the houris and young attendants turn his gaze

Or will the Houris and immortal youths turn his eyes away

from the anguished sinner seeking intercession?

From the sinner who seeks intercession in his grief?

أَنا أَعلَمُ اِبني راحِماً مُتَعَطِّفاً

أَنا أَعلَمُ اِبني راحِماً مُتَعَطِّفاً

فَمَن لي غَدا بِالراحِمِ المُتَعَطِّفِ

فَمَن لي غَدا بِالراحِمِ المُتَعَطِّفِ

I know my son to be merciful and tender-hearted;

I know my son to be merciful and full of compassion;

who, then, will bring me that merciful, tender one tomorrow?

So who will grant me that merciful, compassionate one tomorrow?

عَسى وَلَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَرحَمُني بِهِ

عَسى وَلَعَلَّ اللَهَ يَرحَمُني بِهِ

فَيَغفِرَ ذَنبَ المُرتَجي المُتَخَوِّفِ

فَيَغفِرَ ذَنبَ المُرتَجي المُتَخَوِّفِ

Perhaps—may it be—God will have mercy on me through him,

Perchance God will have mercy on me for his sake,

and forgive the sin of one who hopes and fears.

And forgive the sin of one who hopes yet fears.

شهابٌ لِظُلماتِ المُلِمّاتِ ثاقِبٌ

شهابٌ لِظُلماتِ المُلِمّاتِ ثاقِبٌ

وَشِبلٌ لِآثارِ الضَراغِمِ مُقتَفي

وَشِبلٌ لِآثارِ الضَراغِمِ مُقتَفي

A meteor piercing the darkness of calamities,

He was a piercing meteor against the darkness of calamities,

and a lion cub following the tracks of mighty lions.

A lion cub following the tracks of the great lions.

لَهُ صَبرُ أَيّوبٍ عَلى ما أَصابَهُ

لَهُ صَبرُ أَيّوبٍ عَلى ما أَصابَهُ

وَإِن غَيَّرَت مِنهُ مَحاسِنُ يوسُفِ

وَإِن غَيَّرَت مِنهُ مَحاسِنُ يوسُفِ

He had Job's patience in all that befell him,

He possessed the patience of Job over what befell him,

though Joseph's beauties in him were changed.

Even as illness altered his Joseph-like beauty.

أَلَحَّ عَلَيهِ ما أَلاحَ بِنورِهِ

أَلَحَّ عَلَيهِ ما أَلاحَ بِنورِهِ

وَأَعيا حَكيماً أَن يُجيب بِأَحرُفِ

وَأَعيا حَكيماً أَن يُجيب بِأَحرُفِ

What swept away his light beset him relentlessly,

Affliction persisted upon him, dimming the light he once cast,

and left a physician unable to answer in words.

And baffling the physician, who could find no words to cure.

وَقَد رابَهُ مِنهُ تَوَرُّمُ نَرجسٍ

وَقَد رابَهُ مِنهُ تَوَرُّمُ نَرجسٍ

غَضيضٍ وَنِسرينٍ وَوَردٍ مُضعَّفِ

غَضيضٍ وَنِسرينٍ وَوَردٍ مُضعَّفِ

And the swelling of his narcissus alarmed him,

He was alarmed to see the narcissus of his eye swell,

so tender—and of eglantine and a double-petaled rose;

Modest and low, and the wilting of his rose-like cheeks.

وَنَثرُ عَقيقٍ ذابَ فيهِ دِماؤُهُ

وَنَثرُ عَقيقٍ ذابَ فيهِ دِماؤُهُ

جَرى مِثلَ جَمعي ثُمَّ لَم يَتَوَقَّفِ

جَرى مِثلَ جَمعي ثُمَّ لَم يَتَوَقَّفِ

and scattered carnelian, his blood dissolved within it,

And a scattering of carnelian where his blood seemed to melt,

flowed like my [tears], then would not stop.

Flowing like my own tears, and ceasing not.

رَقيتُكَ يا اِبني وَالحِمامُ مَقدَّر

رَقيتُكَ يا اِبني وَالحِمامُ مَقدَّر

إِذا جاءَ لَم تَنفَع رُقى كُلّ مُدنفِ

إِذا جاءَ لَم تَنفَع رُقى كُلّ مُدنفِ

I recited healing charms over you, my son, though death is decreed;

I recited prayers over you, my son, but Death is ordained;

when it comes, no charms avail the gravely ill.

When it comes, no prayer can save the stricken soul.

وَلَم أَنسَ وَجدي إذا تَشَهَّدت مُخلِصاً

وَلَم أَنسَ وَجدي إذا تَشَهَّدت مُخلِصاً

وَصَوتُكَ ممّا رقّ بِالسقمِ قَد خَفي

وَصَوتُكَ ممّا رقّ بِالسقمِ قَد خَفي

I have not forgotten my anguish as you sincerely professed the faith,

I shall never forget my anguish when you pronounced the Creed sincerely,

while your voice had faded, so frail from illness.

Your voice so thinned by sickness it had faded to a whisper.

فَلَمّا تَوَفَّتكَ المَلائِكُ طيّباً

فَلَمّا تَوَفَّتكَ المَلائِكُ طيّباً

وَقالوا سَلامٌ سِر إِلى اللَهِ تزلفِ

وَقالوا سَلامٌ سِر إِلى اللَهِ تزلفِ

Then, when the angels took your soul in purity,

And when the angels took you, pure and blessed,

and said, “Peace! Go to God and draw near,”

Saying, "Peace be upon you; journey to God and draw near."

بَدا الجُوَيبَكي ثُمَّ كَفكَفَ دَمعهُ

بَدا الجُوَيبَكي ثُمَّ كَفكَفَ دَمعهُ

وَأَسبلتُ دَمعي غَيرَ أَن لَم أُكَفكفِ

وَأَسبلتُ دَمعي غَيرَ أَن لَم أُكَفكفِ

al-Juwaybaki appeared, then wiped away his tears,

Al-Juwaybaka appeared, and wiped away his tears,

while I let my tears fall, but did not wipe them away.

While I let my tears flow freely, checking them not.

وَصَلّى عَلَيكَ القاضِيانِ وَلَو دَرى

وَصَلّى عَلَيكَ القاضِيانِ وَلَو دَرى

أَعَزُّ مُلوكِ الأَرضِ لَم يَتَخَلَّفِ

أَعَزُّ مُلوكِ الأَرضِ لَم يَتَخَلَّفِ

The two judges prayed over you; had he known,

The two Judges prayed over you; and had he known,

the mightiest of earth's kings would not have stayed away.

The mightiest king on earth would not have stayed behind.

وَرُبَّ فَقيهٍ لَم يُصَلِّ عَلَيكَ مِن

وَرُبَّ فَقيهٍ لَم يُصَلِّ عَلَيكَ مِن

عَداوَتِهِ في حَدِّكَ المُتَغَطرِفِ

عَداوَتِهِ في حَدِّكَ المُتَغَطرِفِ

Yet many a jurist did not pray over you, out of

Yet many a jurist refused to pray over you,

his hostility toward your haughty fierceness.

Out of enmity for your father's proud station.

عَلى أَنَّني أَنّبتُ مَن لَم يُؤنّبوا

عَلى أَنَّني أَنّبتُ مَن لَم يُؤنّبوا

وَزُرتُ وَأَسعَفتُ اِمرءاً غَير مُسعفِ

وَزُرتُ وَأَسعَفتُ اِمرءاً غَير مُسعفِ

Though I rebuked those whom they did not rebuke,

Though I have chided those who are rarely chided,

and visited and helped a man who offered no help.

And visited and aided those who offer no aid in return.

ولَيسَ كَريماً مَن يَخونُ صَديقَهُ

ولَيسَ كَريماً مَن يَخونُ صَديقَهُ

وَلكِنَّما الحُرُّ الكَريمُ الَّذي يَفي

وَلكِنَّما الحُرُّ الكَريمُ الَّذي يَفي

No man is noble who betrays his friend;

He is no noble man who betrays a friend,

the freeborn, noble man is only he who keeps faith.

But the truly free and noble soul is one who keeps faith.

بَنو عَصرِنا إِلّا أَقَلّ بَقِيَّةٍ

بَنو عَصرِنا إِلّا أَقَلّ بَقِيَّةٍ

إِذا اِنتَقَدوا كَالدِرهَمِ المُتزيّفِ

إِذا اِنتَقَدوا كَالدِرهَمِ المُتزيّفِ

The men of our age, save a tiny remnant,

The sons of our age, save for a precious few,

when put to the test, are like a counterfeit dirham.

Are like counterfeit coins when put to the test.

يُصلّي عَلَيكَ اللَهُ كَيفَ عِبادُهُ

يُصلّي عَلَيكَ اللَهُ كَيفَ عِبادُهُ

وتبكي الأَعادي كَيفَ عَينُ المُشعفِ

وتبكي الأَعادي كَيفَ عَينُ المُشعفِ

God blesses you—what then of His servants?

May God send blessings upon you, far beyond His servants,

And enemies weep—what then of a lover's eye?

And may enemies weep for you, like the eye of the grief-stricken.

أَلَستَ مِنَ الأَشرافِ فِهرِ اِبنِ مالِكٍ

أَلَستَ مِنَ الأَشرافِ فِهرِ اِبنِ مالِكٍ

وَلَيسَ شَريفُ القَدرِ كَالمُتَشَرِّفِ

وَلَيسَ شَريفُ القَدرِ كَالمُتَشَرِّفِ

Are you not of the noble stock of Fihr ibn Malik?

Are you not of the nobles, of the lineage of Fihr ibn Malik?

One truly noble in rank is not like one who merely claims it.

And the truly high-born is nothing like the pretender.

أَلَم تَكُ طِفلاً دونَكَ الكَهلُ وَالفَتى

أَلَم تَكُ طِفلاً دونَكَ الكَهلُ وَالفَتى

وَدونَكَ في حِلمٍ نِهايَة أَحنَفِ

وَدونَكَ في حِلمٍ نِهايَة أَحنَفِ

Were you not a child, yet mature men and youths ranked below you,

Were you not a child, yet surpassing both elder and youth,

and even Ahnaf at his height fell below you in forbearance?

And surpassing even Ahnaf in the heights of forbearance?

أَلَم تَبدُ أَخلاقُ الشُجاعِ وَذي النَدى

أَلَم تَبدُ أَخلاقُ الشُجاعِ وَذي النَدى

عَلَيكَ وَطَبعُ العالمِ المُتَفَلسِفِ

عَلَيكَ وَطَبعُ العالمِ المُتَفَلسِفِ

Did not the virtues of the brave and the generous appear

Did not the virtues of the brave and the generous shine

in you, and the nature of the philosopher-scholar?

Upon you, along with the nature of the wise philosopher?

سَلامٌ عَلى قَبرٍ حَواكَ فَنوِّرَت

سَلامٌ عَلى قَبرٍ حَواكَ فَنوِّرَت

نَواحيهِ مِن سُحبٍ بِكَفَّيكَ وكَّفِ

نَواحيهِ مِن سُحبٍ بِكَفَّيكَ وكَّفِ

Peace upon the grave that holds you; its corners were lit

Peace be upon the grave that holds you; may its corners be lit

by clouds pouring down from your two hands.

By the rain-clouds pouring forth from your generous hands.

كَأَنّي وَقَد أوديتُ بدَّلت مِن حَياً

كَأَنّي وَقَد أوديتُ بدَّلت مِن حَياً

بِمَحلٍ وَمِن ريحٍ بليلٍ بِحرجفِ

بِمَحلٍ وَمِن ريحٍ بليلٍ بِحرجفِ

As though, now that I am undone, I had exchanged rain

As if I, now that you are gone, have exchanged life's rain

for drought, and a moist breeze for an icy gale.

For barren drought, and the gentle breeze for a biting storm.

عَكَفتُ عَلى الأَحزانِ بَعدَكَ جافِياً

عَكَفتُ عَلى الأَحزانِ بَعدَكَ جافِياً

لِقَبرِكَ إِنّي لَستُ أَبرَحُ مُعكفِ

لِقَبرِكَ إِنّي لَستُ أَبرَحُ مُعكفِ

I have clung to grief since you were gone, keeping away

I have devoted myself to sorrow since you left, shunning all else,

from your grave; I never leave my retreat.

Clinging to your grave, I shall never cease my vigil.

وَهَل أَنتَ إِلّا نورُ عَيني سَلَبتَهُ

وَهَل أَنتَ إِلّا نورُ عَيني سَلَبتَهُ

فَأَيُّ اِهتِداءٍ لي وَأَيُّ تَصَرُّفِ

فَأَيُّ اِهتِداءٍ لي وَأَيُّ تَصَرُّفِ

Were you not my eye's light, which you have taken away?

For were you not the light of my eyes, now stolen away?

So how can I find my way, and how can I move about?

So what guidance is left for me, what path can I take?